Claude Debussy Children's Corner, L. 113
is a quintessential masterpiece of the Impressionist era (even though Debussy preferred to be called a Symbolist...). The suite was written for his young daughter, Claude-Emma, affectionately known as "Chou-Chou". This cycle of six pieces captures the delicate, imaginative, and often humorous landscape of childhood with unparalleled sophistication. It serves as a vivid representation of Debussy's revolutionary compositional traits: his unique harmonic language, nuanced timbral control, and rhythmic playfulness.
While deceptively charming, these six miniatures offer profound technical and interpretive challenges, making them an ideal study for intermediate and early advanced learners who wish to refine their touch, color palette, and sense of narrative structure. Upon purchase, you will receive a curated guide detailing my personal recommendations for approaching these pieces to maximize your progress.
I have filmed a thorough lesson on each movement of the suite to help you master these works: playful, imaginatively vivid, and at the same time intellectually rigorous. This is an essential series that will help you [re-]discover Debussy’s world, refine your piano playing, deepen your understanding of French Symbolist aesthetics, performance stylistics, character & nuance, and form new technical approaches effectively. I wish you to have a great time in this exploration!
In this 2-hr comprehensive series of video lessons I thoroughly go through the entire cycle, elaborating on:
- Optimized fingering suggestions, material distribution between the hands, as well as other other tips & tricks
- Motion coordination, tension-free efficient technique development
- Articulation, phrasing, pedaling, balance, polyphony, and such; in order to improve your performance, bring it as close as possible to professional standards, and help you create your own, unique interpretation and understanding of this work.
I also include my ANNOTATED PDF SCORE with markings for fingering, pedaling, material redistribution between the hands, and such that I created specially for this lesson.
My performance of this suite (at the age of 10): Part 1, Part 2
Not sure? Check out a free portion of this series with excerpt examples by clicking here (available shortly).
Course Curriculum
About your instructor
I am a Ukrainian-American classical pianist, currently living in Austria. In 2025 I have successfully acquired my Doctoral Degree in Artistic Research at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, with Excellence, on Artistic Interpretation of late Scriabin. During the last decade I have created six multi- and crossdisciplinary productions with my Intertwining Arts team. After years of my discoveries as a solo pianist and a crossdisciplinary artist, I find it absolutely necessary to share my knowledge, skills, and understanding of possibilities in musical interpretation with the world, by teaching individual piano lessons and recording video tutorials.
I play and teach all kinds of classical music - from Baroque to Contemporary. I think it is very important to understand how unique and complete each individual style is - therefore, I don't really have a favorite one, since they are all incredible. I am an open-minded and easy going person, always willing to collaborate with my students' needs and ideas when it gets to piano playing.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions about individual lessons via the contact form on my website elinaakselrud.com – I will be more than happy to reply!
Keep creating and best of luck,
Dr. Elina Akselrud
